X-member



Sept. 30, 1941. E. ALMDALE 2,257,666 X-MEMBER I Filed April 26, 1940 INV ENT OR. [74 05 44/717,445

Patented Sept. 30, 1941 X-IHEMBERI Einar Almdale, Detroit, Mich.,assignor to The Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application April 26, 1940, Serial No. 331,779

8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in structuralmembers of the type shown in my copending application Serial No.325,212, filed March 21, 1940.

An important object of the invention is to further simplify theconstruction of the X-shaped or cruciform member shown in thisapplication by forming the intersection piece of the member withstampings separate from the arms .of the X-member, which arms may faceeither inwardly or outwardly of the vehicle frame with which it isassociated.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an open topcradle-shaped piece for an X-member which may be formed from two simplethe sub-rails extending throughthe center piece instead of being buttwelded to the ends thereof, Fig. 4 is a transverse section of theintersection piece for sub-rails having inwardly facing chan nels, I I

Fig. 5 is a top plan thereof,

Fig. 6 is a modified form of intersection mem her with inwardly facingsub-rails cooperating in forming the enclosed box section center piece.

As explained in my copending application,

these X-members for vehicle frames must be provided with openingsthrough their intersection piecesfor appropriate clearance and movementof the usual inclined propeller shaft of a motor vehicle which extendsfrom the rear end of the transmission to th differential of the rearWheels. Generally in this type of X-member, the intersection piece isprovided with an opening bounded upon all sides, including its top andbottom with metal which in certain makes of automobiles, requires atunnel or raised portion in the floor of the passenger compartment. Thepresent invention obviates the necessity of providing this tunnel orraised portion by a uniqu construction of the intersection piece of theX- member.

The two forwardly diverging arms of the X- member are designated by thenumeral III, while the rearwardly diverging arms of such members aredesignated by the numeral II. These arms are usually constructed ofoutwardly facing channel beams, in order to cooperate with the siderails of the vehicle frame in forming such rails intoacompletely closedbox section, but these arms may also be reversed so that their channelsface in the opposite direction, namely toward the longitudinal centerline of the frame, or may be hollow and of any desired section bestsuited to the requirements of the particular frame.

In the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, theintersection piece is composed solely of two simple stampings to form ahollow, substantially rectangular casing having a socket at each of itsfour corners for connection with the armsiof the X member, and arelatively wide deep groove in its top extending lengthwise of the frameand casing to provide propeller shaft clearance, and in effect an opentop cradle shaped intersection piece.

The lower; half of this intersection piece is a substantiallyrectangular stamping I2 having its four corners extended as at I3 andprovided with upstanding side flanges I4 which are continued from cornerto corner to formboundary flanges and attaching means. This constructionleaves the extended radial corner portions of U or channel shape incross section.

The upper part of the intersection piece is composed of a singleinverted U-shaped stamping I5 having the same outline as th lowerstamping but with depending side walls I6 of much greater height thanthe flanges I4 to be vertically aligned therewith and butt Weldedthereto as at IT,

although the attachment of these walls may be made in any desiredmanner. This construction provides each end of the intersection piecewith a pair of outwardly divergingrectangular socket members I8 to whichchannel section or box section arms I 0 and I I of the X-member may bebutt welded as at I9. The top of this rectangular intersection casing isprovided with a relatively wide and deep depression or groov 20extending lengthwise thereof from one end thereof to the other toprovide the requisite propeller shaft clearance.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification of the X- In Figs; 4 and Sthe sameintersection piece is" employed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but with thearms 22 of the X-member formed of two channel members having theirchannels facing inwardly toward the longitudinal center line of theintersection piece and automobile frame, and with thelower portions ofthese armswhich extendllongitudinally through the hollow intersectionpiece,

extended laterally along the bottom of stamping [2 as at 23 and thenprojected 'atan obtuse angle to provide inclined struts 24 to terminatein tabsor tongues 25 which extend through slots in the bottom of thegroove 20 to be welded thereto by heywelds. The top flanges of thex-member arms 22 are secured in any suitable manner to the top of thehollow intersection member and are completely housed therein.

In Fig, 6, the sides of the hollow intersection piece are formed by theintermediate portions of two inwardly facing channels which constitutethe four arms of the X-member. The top of the intersection piece in thisinstance is provided by a U-shaped' stamping 26 having its side edgesterminating in outwardly extending horizontal flanges' zl which arewelded as at 28' to the edges of the upper flanges 29 of the 'X-memherarms 38. A flat plate 3| forms the bottom of the hollow intersectionpiece and its side edges are welded as at 32 to the edges of the lowerflanges 33 of the X -member arms. The two ends of the hollowintersection piece may be closed with imperforate' plates 34 which mayhave integral projections on all four of' its edges to extend throughslots in the adjacent parts of the intersection piece and the x-memberarms to be subsequentiy key welded thereto and to form the inner sectionpiece into a cornpletely enclosed substantially rectangular housing ofthe shape shown in Fig. I

' It will of course be understood that various changes in the size,shape and relation of parts may be resorted to withoutide'p'arting fromthe spirit of the invention'or the scope of the appended claims. J

I claimf 1. An intersection member for an X-member for automobilescomprising upper and lower stampings fastened together to constitute bythemselves a box section, and the upper stamping having a depressed widegroove extending longitudinally thereof and down between the sides ofsaid member for propeller shaft clear ance. r

2. 'An intersection member for a plurality of radiating armscomprising astamping of inverted U-shape cross section having depending flanges andhaving its bridge piece provided with a longitudinally extendingdepressed portion, and a second stamping secured to the dependingflanges of the inverted U-shaped stamping.

3. An intersection piece for X-members comprising a substantiallyrectangular stamping having an extension at each corner and anupstanding flange alongthe sides of the stamping and the sides of thecorner extensions, and a correspondingly shaped stamping having muchdeeper corresponding flanges secured to those of the first stamping andhaving a relatvely deep wide groove extending the full length thereof,said stampi-ngs forming a hollow substantially rectangular casingcompletely enclosed with the exception of" the ends" of said corner,extensions.

'4. An X-member comprising a hollow member having a depressed concavedtop portion extending longitudinally thereof, and X-member armsextending into said hollow member and having portions conformingtothesha'pe of the depression and having lateral extensions spaced apartand secured tothe side walls 'ofthe concaved top.

5; An X-member comprising a hollow section intersection member having atop piece formed with a depression extending longitudinally thereof forpropeller shaft clearance thereabove, and a pair of channel members,each forming a pair of arms of the X-member .at'one side thereof andextending longitudinally through the hollow intersection member.

6. A structural member for automobile frames comprising a pair ofchannel sections having portions of their webs substantially parallel toeach other and horizontally ofiset toward one flanges; and a secondhorizontal member having a portion spaced from'the fi'rst'member andconmeeting the lower flanges of said sections.

8 A structural member comprising a pair of oppositely and outwardlyfacing channel sections with the upper and lower flanges facingoutwardly, the webs of said sections having inwardly extendinghorizontal offset portions spaced apart, a member connecting said spacedoffset portions and having a portion spaced below the top flanges, asecond horizontal member having a portion spac'zed from the first andconnecting the lower flanges of said sections, and said members havingportions secured to the upper and lower flanges of said sections forclosing the channels thereof; 7

EINAR ALMDALE.

